I am new to writing and I do not know where to begin, advice anyone?
Replies
And another thing...
Give yourself time.
writing isn't just going to decline to leap perfectly formed from the page but your brain will need time to develop what is going on - and the longer the story the longer you may need to develop things just inside your head.
There are times when the best thing to do is to just leave it alone. This may be for a few minutes or a year or three.
I started to think about my main/present text somewhere back around 1995... I didn't even get back to fiction for another 12 years - and then I spent two years or more writing completely different material... which means that I have been working on the present thing for at least five years - off and on...
So... One thing that occurs to me... If you are "new to writing" with a view to making your fortune with a best seller... you would proably be better putting your money on the lottery - and - if you do succeed - the hourly rate of pay (when you figure it out) is pretty rubbish.
The big thing about writing is that you have to enjoy it... Because that is very likely to be the principle reward that most of us get from our efforts.
This isn't said to put you off... It is just a fact of writing.
Such great advice above! it would be good to know if you have a specific thing you want to write as i find i approach different texts differently. Remember have fun, dont get stressed and try not to work until five in the morning when you really get going.
You won't find out what you can write until you do write...
At least there is no requirement to take expensive lessons like driving lessons - and, even if you do crash, you shouldn't come to much harm.
Have a go at anything... try different approaches...
Describe an orange. (The dreaded "description" element).
Have people talk about an orange. (Agh! Dialogue - much feared).
Change perspective and see things from the orange's point of view. (Perspective).
Write about an orange that was. (Tense - past tense in this case... some people struggle intially to keep their writing in one tense at a time - there are also issues of which tense it is easier to write in - which varies from person to person for a start).
An orange in the now... (Present tense).
A future orange...
Maybe you already know all this? Your question hasn't told us...
My point is, however, that - when you don't know where/how to start - the thing to do is - just start... do anything - do "exercises". Don't just see what you can write but see how different forms/ways of writing feel for you. There will probably be some things that you find easier than others.
And another thing...
Give yourself time.
writing isn't just going to decline to leap perfectly formed from the page but your brain will need time to develop what is going on - and the longer the story the longer you may need to develop things just inside your head.
There are times when the best thing to do is to just leave it alone. This may be for a few minutes or a year or three.
I started to think about my main/present text somewhere back around 1995... I didn't even get back to fiction for another 12 years - and then I spent two years or more writing completely different material... which means that I have been working on the present thing for at least five years - off and on...
So... One thing that occurs to me... If you are "new to writing" with a view to making your fortune with a best seller... you would proably be better putting your money on the lottery - and - if you do succeed - the hourly rate of pay (when you figure it out) is pretty rubbish.
The big thing about writing is that you have to enjoy it... Because that is very likely to be the principle reward that most of us get from our efforts.
This isn't said to put you off... It is just a fact of writing.
David
Such great advice above! it would be good to know if you have a specific thing you want to write as i find i approach different texts differently. Remember have fun, dont get stressed and try not to work until five in the morning when you really get going.
Okay - I'm not going to practice yet...
Somewhere else to start...
Anywhere! :-)
Just write anything - by any process.
You won't find out what you can write until you do write...
At least there is no requirement to take expensive lessons like driving lessons - and, even if you do crash, you shouldn't come to much harm.
Have a go at anything... try different approaches...
Describe an orange. (The dreaded "description" element).
Have people talk about an orange. (Agh! Dialogue - much feared).
Change perspective and see things from the orange's point of view. (Perspective).
Write about an orange that was. (Tense - past tense in this case... some people struggle intially to keep their writing in one tense at a time - there are also issues of which tense it is easier to write in - which varies from person to person for a start).
An orange in the now... (Present tense).
A future orange...
Maybe you already know all this? Your question hasn't told us...
My point is, however, that - when you don't know where/how to start - the thing to do is - just start... do anything - do "exercises". Don't just see what you can write but see how different forms/ways of writing feel for you. There will probably be some things that you find easier than others.
I find waffling extremely easy... :-)
David